This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7119 from my application REFRIGERATOR CONTROL METHOD filed with the Korean Industrial Property Office on Sep. 7, 2000 and there duly assigned Ser. No. 53119/2000.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to methods for controlling refrigerators, and more particularly, to a method for controlling a refrigerator, capable of enhancing a cooling rate by continuously operating a compressor therein.
2. Description of Related Art
A refrigerator is generally comprised of a freezer compartment, a fresh food compartment, and a cooling system for cooling food therein. The freezer compartment has a low inner temperature and the fresh food compartment has an inner temperature higher than that of the former. The present invention will be described, by way of example, with reference to a kimchi (Korean pickled vegetables) refrigerator having a main body having two storage compartments, a heater heating the storage compartments, and a cooling system cooling the storage compartments.
The cooling system of the kimchi refrigerator is comprised of a compressor compressing a refrigerant, an evaporator cooling the storage compartments by means of the refrigerant from the compressor, and a refrigerant pipe supplying the refrigerant compressed by the compressor into the evaporator. On the refrigerant pipe supplying the refrigerant is installed a control valve which can control the amount of the refrigerant according to the operating conditions of the storage compartments. The kimchi refrigerator is provided with a temperature sensor sensing an inner temperature of the respective storage compartments, a manipulating part whereby the operational conditions for each compartment are inputted, and a controller controlling the compressor, the evaporator and the valve according to the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor.
FIG. 8 is a temperature graph for a conventional kimchi refrigerator. Referring to FIG. 8, after the refrigerator starts to operate according to preset initial operating conditions, and the is compressor (not shown) is continuously operated for a predetermined time, a continuous operation a of the compressor is suspended; and in lieu thereof, the compressor starts to operate based on a normal operation mode. The normal operation mode refers to a mode under which periodical on and off operations of the compressor are repeated at regular intervals of time.
In the conventional kimchi refrigerator, however, since the temperature sensor is installed adjacent to the evaporator, the temperature detected by the temperature sensor reaches the control temperature before a temperature of the food stored in the storage compartments reaches the desired temperature, and accordingly the compressor suspends its operation. As a result, initial cooling of the food stored in the storage compartments is delayed, thereby decreasing the efficiency of cooling.
Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above-described shortcomings, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a method controlling a refrigerator which is capable of enhancing a cooling rate of the stored food and at the same time achieving a desired storage temperature, thereby improving the cooling efficiency.
This and other objects of the present invention maybe achieved by a provision of a method for controlling a refrigerator comprising a main body formed with a storage compartment accommodating food therein, a door opening and closing the storage compartment, a temperature sensor provided within the main body, detecting a temperature thereof, and a cooling means provided in the main body, cooling the storage compartment, the method comprising the steps of establishing a control temperature of the temperature sensor to correspond to the temperature of the storage compartment; and continuously operating the cooling means until the temperature detected by the temperature sensor reaches the control temperature at an initial operation state.
The cooling means is preferably comprised of a compressor.
Effectively, the method further comprises the step of driving the compressor according to an established cycle after the detected temperature of the temperature sensor reaches the control temperature.
More effectively, the method further comprises the steps of establishing a maximum protection temperature which is higher than the control temperature; and continuously operating the compressor until the temperature detected by the temperature sensor reaches the maximum protection temperature, when the detected temperature is higher than the maximum protection temperature.
Still effectively, the method further comprises the steps of establishing a minimum protection temperature which is lower than the control temperature; and suspending the compressor until the detected temperature reaches the control temperature, when the detected temperature of the temperature sensor is lower than the minimum protection temperature.
Preferably, the method further comprises the steps of counting a continuous operation time of the compressor using a counter at an initial operation state; and suspending the continuous operation of the compressor where the continuous operation time counted by the counter reaches a predetermined time.
Also preferably, the method further comprises the step of operating the compressor according to an established cycle if the temperature detected by the temperature sensor reaches the control temperature, after the continuous operation of the compressor is suspended.
Effectively, the method further comprises the step of operating the compressor according to an established cycle if the temperature detected by the temperature sensor reaches the control temperature, after the continuous operation of the compressor is suspended.
Preferably, the method further comprises the step of continuously operating the compressor until the detected temperature reaches the control temperature after operating the compressor according to an established cycle for a predetermined time, if the detected temperature does not reach the control temperature after the continuous operation of the compressor is suspended.
As an alternative, the method further comprises the step of continuously operating the compressor until the detected temperature reaches the control temperature after suspending the compressor for a predetermined time, if the detected temperature does not reach the control temperature after the continuous operation of the compressor is suspended.